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Poster: William Tell Date: Apr 24, 2017 10:29am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

I hear ya; have been having v similar discussions w visiting family members, one grand kid here, two on the way, etc., etc.

I think it's partly the unique generational aspect, at least for "me" (real boomers, pre 1965 b-days, right?). It is that we were "raised by depression era parents" who now have much more than their parents, while working their butts off but constantly telling us, "please go out and do what you love; don't take this mind numbing job that I had to or you'll break my heart". Thus, mine encouraged me over and over again to do all sorts of stuff, and given how much they worked, they also imbued me with a huge "self sufficiency" streak cause they weren't there all day every day like I could afford to be for my kids, blah, blah, blah. I'd be the first to admit that my kids matured quite a bit more slowly on some levels than I did...

Don't get me wrong; I think by giving our kids, those born in the 80s/90s, a much more affluent and caring environment, we raised "kindler, gentler kids" (I think), while perhaps not giving them the street skills that I had by 13 while going to the DEAD, blah, blah, blah. Perhaps my parents, and those of ALL my friends, were criminally negligent, and some kids DID suffer from it, but it's a trade off, eh? Harsh? Yeah.

Over, OVER simplified!

But anyhoo, I do need to point out that when you calculate the rates for the absolutely horrific "bogeyman" events, ie, "I have to drive my kid so they aren't nabbed", my understanding is those per capita rates are not dramatically higher than when the Lindbergh baby was nabbed 75 yrs ago...it's just we know about EVERY one of them now, and yea, the prospect of it, even if it is still one in a gazzillion, is so scary, sure--I drove my kids too...but I think some of that "threat" is not as high as we believe it to be?



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Poster: SomeDarkHollow Date: Apr 24, 2017 10:49am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

I guess I could have bit a bit clearer on the boogeyman part; you're spot on about the timely knowledge of their existence increasing. The actual awareness of such people has certainly increased substantially thanks to the digital age. Crazy people have always been crazy, its just now the entire world can see them whack a mother with a baby stroller on an airplane 5 minutes after it happens.

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Poster: HankAndLeeStamper Date: Apr 24, 2017 11:22am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

I was shocked (and very much saddened) to see people outside the Weir show I attended last week, sitting outside the theater, hawking bootleg t-shirts, small glass pipes, probably a few other items i didnt notice as well.
I couldn't help but wonder "are they following Weir's tour? is THAT supposed to substitute for the Dead tour now?" There weren't enough of them for there to be any of the "family" vibe that we had during the travel days (mine late 80s/early 90s), so it wasn't touring for the sake of the "experience" in the sense of living in the parking lot with thousands of like minded folks, which, along with great music, seemed to be the impetus for deadhead touring.
and while i enjoyed Weir's set very much, I wouldn't follow him around "just" for the music, as i might for, say, Tedeschi Trucks Band. and if it's not the music and not the communal experience, what is it for?
The "what is it for?" question led to my shock at the sight of these folks, the fact that there doesn't seem to be a community for them to travel with anymore is what led to my sadness. I very much felt, in the 80s-90s, that I had missed the peak greatness of the "scene" --- no acid tests, be-ins, GG Park free shows for me. but i still felt/knew that it was special, that, before '93ish, i was lucky to be a part of it. i wonder if these folks who seemed to be following Weir feel like I did, that they missed the best part, but there is still magic, or if they realize they missed it all, not just most of it.

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Poster: SomeDarkHollow Date: Apr 24, 2017 11:36am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

I, like you, consider myself lucky to have been part of what was once a powerful community, held together apparently by a single overweight, strung out, hygenically questionable man with a guitar. His passing really changed the core scene almost immediately. You have to wonder if that small cadre of crap-hawking folks outside of Bob's show were there in search of what was or just copying what they've seen on YouTube and figured that was the cool thing to do. Either way it also strikes me as a bit sad.

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Poster: Daddy D Date: Apr 24, 2017 8:27pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

Interesting post / thread! "What, you traveled around following the band with little or no money, depending on the kindness of strangers to get you from one show to the next? Weren't you scared about the dangers of such a lifestyle? Would you let one of your grand kids do the same thing when they are teenagers?" Didn't take me long to answer that last one. "F**k no" Made me think, why didn't my parents stop me from engaging in such a reckless lifestyle? I almost called them and told them they must not have loved me that much. Then I thought about the era they came from where there wan't some demented boogeyman lurking behind every bush waiting to abduct clueless kids. We then fast forward to today where thanks to the internet we have been programmed to see potential evil in just about every stranger's face. The thought of letting a teenager roam the country, taking rides from whomever stops to let them in, seems inconceivable today. Sad that what was once such a treasured part of my youth only now scares the bejeezus out my kids. Loss of innocence, no doubt. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I absolutely knew there was NO WAY my parent's would allow me to go on tour...so I just lied. One summer I told them I was hiking a chunk of the Appalachian trail (thank goodness this was way before cell phones, when one could still go off the grid & AWOL for a week or two at a time). I'd check in with them every 10 days or so, tell them where I was "on the trail", even though I was wherever the Dead were at that summer tour. Maybe not a nice thing to do (lie to the parent's) but really, what choice did I have?? Missing summer tour was not an option! When I finally returned home, naturally my parents wanted to see pics of my time on the trail....I had to "think fast", told them that it rained really hard the first day I started out and that my camera got wet & I wasn't able to take any pics the whole time! With regards to how "scary" things are now compared to then....really?? Sure, if I had kids I'd naturally be worried/concerned if I knew they were following some band around on tour, ingesting who knows what bought off some stranger in the parking lot of some random city XYZ, but I don't think there are more serial killers or rapists around now than there were 20-30 years ago. Actually, the ability to call and check in 24/7 actually makes me think that if anything they'd be safer now than we were then.
This post was modified by Daddy D on 2017-04-25 03:27:44

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Poster: SomeDarkHollow Date: Apr 25, 2017 5:59am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

Oh, I didn't mean it to sound like it's any more dangerous now, I meant to say that our awareness of the danger has increased in direct correlation to the speed of news transfer. I'm sure the number of crazed predators (I think HH Holmes has the distinction as America's first serial killer back in the late 1800's, but there were probably others well before him) has held fairly consistent in relation to the total population. Just now they pop up on Facebook and Twitter the minute something horrible happens anywhere. Back in the day my folks primary source of news was the local paper, with its limited space and time delay. Ignorance is bliss.

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Poster: William Tell Date: Apr 25, 2017 5:48am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

I shudda mentioned that in the thread above about my generation vs my kids: I shielded my parents, as did my siblings and friends, from EVERYTHING we did...I described it above as potential negligence on their part, but we really worked hard to keep them from knowing about anything that went "wrong", and "fixed" it ourselves...big stuff; car accidents, pregnancies, police busts, all sorts of craps my siblings and I went thru were NEVER revealed to the parents til much, much later in life...some of the parents were simply too frail to take it, and it was much easier. Because we were the younger siblings, we could tap the older ones, etc.

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Poster: Mandojammer Date: Apr 25, 2017 7:27am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

What about shady characters who roll into town for a music festival. They're some of the worst I heard.....

Looking forward to throwing back a few pints and a couple drams of fine whisky and bourbon with you in June. Also bringing the mandolin should the opportunity for some picking arise.

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Poster: craven714 Date: Apr 25, 2017 10:28am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

family or familiar or just fuXked? idk

Attachment: GD_forum_family_photo__partial_.png

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Poster: Mandojammer Date: Apr 25, 2017 11:48am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

Sorta....

Come mid-June, look for pictures of Mando and Daddy D at the Blue Ox music fest in Eau Claire.

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Poster: Vermoontains Date: Apr 25, 2017 11:54am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

Can you please post a caption so I can tell which one is SDH and which one is Tell?
Except for the one with the big, deep tan in the back, second from the left, they all look alike to me.
I would like to associate a name with the face. Or at least get the images I have out of my mind.

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Poster: craven714 Date: Apr 26, 2017 11:39am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

no caption.
you would have to assume who is in front or in back.
that's the End of the old dirt road

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Poster: Mandojammer Date: Apr 25, 2017 12:23pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Calling all the wookies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io1HYezKcnk

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Poster: craven714 Date: Apr 28, 2017 8:03am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Calling all the wookies

ahhhh..... nice. reminds me of a couple things~ when my cotton balls turn to Beer nuts, I'll be coming home to YOU. and what my dear grandfather used to say to me as a child..."lm going upstairs to fucX your grandma, sit and watch TV you little sh!T". E~ that's my way of saying I hope you have a wonderful fathers day in June, and to meet a new forumite Commander R. Report back in triplicate forms at due time
This post was modified by craven714 on 2017-04-28 15:03:45

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Poster: Daddy D Date: Apr 26, 2017 4:51am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

A "few" pints and a "couple" drams?? OK, well, that sounds like a fine way to start the day, but what are we gonna' drink that afternoon and later in the evening??

As far as a pickin' party goes, unfortunately I don't play (and you certainly don't want me to sing!) but I'll be happy to keep everyone's glass filled, shout out the occasional request, and dance with the ladies!

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Poster: Mandojammer Date: Apr 26, 2017 8:05am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

Well my buddy Ken and I have very strict dietary requirements when it comes to eating. Breakfast is usually a whole grain cereal - barley and corn usually, sometimes rye......

Lunch and dinner are more fresh veggies and fruits. I have a preference for hops, which are plants and therefore a salad. Since I am intolerant of gluten intolerance that isn't related to diagnosed celiac disease, I have been known to carb load with a wild yeast malted dinner, infused with fresh fruits like black currant, sour cherries or apricots.

It makes our picking bearable....at least for us.

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Poster: Daddy D Date: Apr 27, 2017 9:26pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

Here's a gem of a show by the best bluegrass band ever to enjoy on your road trip to Blue Ox:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPfJwHu7Ezw

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Poster: ducats Date: Apr 24, 2017 1:43pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The End of the Road...some thoughts

I'm still waiting for which (12/03/1964) generation I belong to. IMO us winter of 64 babies are the lost generation. :)